Gettin' It Together

Even though a couple hundred thousand people read these pages every month, we have to pinch ourselves occasionally to remember that jazz is not exactly a mainstream act. The financial types tell us that our favorite music occupies less than three percent of the market, and most of the listening public probably has only heard of Miles Davis , John Coltrane or a handful of other artists.

But what becomes obvious upon closer inspection is that the people out there who love jazz have a very personal relationship with the music. The unbelievable diversity out there means that some like Dixieland, others crooners, hard bop, jazz/rock fusion , or free jazz . It's a wide open field for anyone who wants to play. Or listen.

Every year the International Association for Jazz Education ( IAJE ) holds an annual conference , this time in New York. You sort of have to be there to believe it, but when 8,000 jazz fans hit the same ballroom together, there are bound to be sparks. All About Jazz showed up in style, represented by at least ten contributors.

Our publisher, Michael Ricci , went to the conference and spoke about the future of jazz on the internet . He also returned with a generous handful of new collaborations. We now publish fresh charts every week from JazzWeek and key interviews from Newark's WBGO Jazz 88 FM, including a recent conversation with Cassandra Wilson . BET On Jazz and TicketWeb . >

We've also greatly expanded our Musician Center —be sure to let your fellow musicians know about this opportunity for exposure. Finally, our Jazz Guides (formerly known as Directories) include 13 different resources tailored to fans , musicians , students , and industry alike. Be sure to use this opportunity to swap links with AAJ.

All this diversity means that jazz will continue to prosper, interbreed with other genres, and reach new ears. At All About Jazz we like to view ourselves as a magnet for musicians, fans, and industry alike. But that only works if you participate, so step right out and get in there . We share the same space, we share the same air, we share the same enthusiasm. That's the very definition of community. Join in!